Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1887-12-09
GiIHs NAVY.
Report Of the Secretary-SoI1c
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T. WASHINGTON, December s. - The
annual report of the Secretary OF the
Navy was made public to-day. Con
siderable space is given to statistics
and details of the operations OF the
various branches OF the service, which
are not of general interest. IAs re-
port says that many difficulties stood
in the way OF the creation OF a credita-
BILE new navy. During the last year
manv of these have been removed.
and if it ia the will OF the country that
we be possessed of a navy able to
maintain the honor and dignity OF the
governments, it can now readily be ac'
complished. The most notable fact
connected with the work OF last year
concerns cruisers, Numbers 4 and f.
Congress-, by act OF legislation, last
winter nut to test the ability OF the
department and OF American ship
builders nv the construction OF C nis-
ers having the highest standard. The
requirements OF the law have been
observed, and these cruisers are now
under contract with adequate security
of the results to be attained. AmerI-
can shipbuiliers have in these con-
tracts placed themselves on a line
with the foremost in the world.
r,pDpno wAppARF
Touching on the subject of torpedo
boats and pneumatic dynamite guns.
the report SAYS: "To sum up this
matter, the Department deems it III
wise to follow at present the course OF
European powers in building unpro-
tected torpedo boats. 1t recognizes
the power Of the dynamite prolec' lie,
and believes it practicable to embody
il in such a manner as will insure its
reaching any desired object OF attack
in spite OF known weapons, and upon
that problem the Department Is no"
engaged. The pneumatic dynamite
gun has been developed by private
enterprise to a point where it meets
immediate attention. Against its
method of attack neither nets nor
machine guns are of any considerable
use. There are, however, questions
vet to be settled before its efficiency
for naval purposes can be fully de-
termiued. For coast and harbor de
fen,e. to be fred from land batteries,
its accuracy is substantially estah-
lished, but for naval purposes other
elements OF difficulty intervene.
ECONOMICAL REFORM.
During the past year new sy fem
has been inaugurated for handling
stores and supplies, which has re
sulted i'll a saving OF over 20 per cent.
NAVAL RESERVE ADVOCATED.
Public feeling seems to exist for the
creation of a naval reserve and COM
mittees Of the Chambers OF Commerce
of New York and San Francisco have
passed resolutions urging the organ
ization of such force as means of
providing for coast defense and meet
ing the increased demands on the
naval establishment for men and YES
sels upon an outbreak OF war. TIE
department has informed itself fully
of the different systems OF organiza-
ton for coast defense and naval re-
serves ut present in force in foreign
countries, and is prepared to formulate
a general plan for a similar organiza-
ton to meet the requirements and
conditions of our own institutions. In
the time OF war, troopships or trans.
ports are in great demand. Several
European governments have an an
nual contribution based on tonnage to
companies constructing new vessels.
A notable illustration OF the gener-
osity with which England pushes her
shipping interest is seen in the man
ner in which she is dealing with her
TRADE IN THE NORTH PACIFIC.
It has been thus far principally un-
der the American flag and contribu-
tary to San Francisco and the United
States. The British government and
Canada together are proposing the es-
tablishment of lines of first class
steamers from Vancouver to Japan
and subsidy is likely to be paid OF
$50 600 annually, $4,000 from Eng
land and SIS 900 from Canada. This
will also he contributed from the ma
val reserve fund, probably IS per
ton annually for each ship constructed
for the route, which will increase the
sum to probably $125,000. Under
such competition it is quite easy to
conjecture what will become of the
American flag and our resources in
the North Pacific.
NEW SHIPS ASKED FOR.
The report recommends the COM